Description: Former New Jersey right wing Ilya Kovalchuk will play for St. Petersburg SKA of the KHL next season. SOURCE: Dmitry Chesnokov, Yahoo Sports

Insight: Kovalchuk stunned the hockey world by announcing his retirement from the NHL on Thursday. Turns out, Kovalchuk never wanted to quit hockey. He just wanted to play closer to home, which he now has the opportunity to do by playing in Russia. Kovalchuk's decision to leave the United States for Europe has already generated plenty of controversy. Jeremy Roenick, who played in the NHL from 1988 to 2009, had this to say on his Twitter account: "Kovalchuk is as selfish as they come!!! I'm appalled ... Hey Ilya, hope u live comfortably in Russia w the money u made from the 23 million u stole from the devils."

7/11/2013 4:45:00 PM

Description: Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk has walked away from $77 million in future salary by announcing his retirement from the NHL.

Insight: "This decision was something I have thought about for a long time going back to the lockout and spending the year in Russia. Though I decided to return this past season, Lou (general manager Lou Lamoriello) was aware of my desire to go back home and have my family there with me. The most difficult thing for me is to leave the New Jersey Devils, a great organization that I have a lot of respect for, and our fans that have been great to me." Kovalchuk will likely sign with a KHL team.

4/20/2013 4:57:00 PM

Description: Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) returned to action Saturday against the Panthers.

Insight: Kovalchuk had not played since March 23 due to a shoulder injury. He skated nearly 23 minutes Saturday.

4/17/2013 6:12:00 PM

Description: Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) will not travel with the team to Philadelphia, according to the Bergen Record.

Insight: Kovalchuk (10 G, 17 A in 32 games) initially said he would accompany the team to Philly Wednesday afternoon and decide after Thursday's morning skate if he would play Thursday night against the Flyers, but the Devils decided to leave him back. He hasn't played since March 23 and the Devils haven't won a game since.

4/16/2013 6:30:00 PM

Description: Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) skated Tuesday and is expected to practice Wednesday, according to Tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record.

Insight: Kovalchuk (10 G, 17 A in 32 games) hasn't played since March 23 and the Devils haven't won a game since.

4/12/2013 11:56:00 AM

Description: Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) returned to practice Tuesday, but will not be ready to play in Friday's game with Ottawa.

Insight: Kovalchuk (10 G, 17 A in 32 games) is a must start whenever he returns, but the team likely won't allow that until his shoulder is completely healed. Monday is a more likely date for his return.

4/9/2013 6:36:00 PM

Description: Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) returned to practice Tuesday but said he's still "a few more days" away from being ready to return from his injury, according to the Bergen Record.

Insight: Kovalchuk (10 G, 17 A in 32 games) hasn't played since March 23. "Conditioning-wise I feel good," Kovalchuk said. "That never was as a problem. I just want to make sure I’m 100 percent when I’m in contact and I can shoot the one-timers and I can take the hard wrist shots. It’s definitely going to take a few more days." Devils coach Pete DeBoer said that the team is taking it "day by day," but added that he isn't going to wait until his shoulder is completely healed either.

4/6/2013 11:32:00 AM

Description: Devils coach Pete DeBoer said that Ilya Kovalchuk (shoulder) is making progress and should be back for the stretch drive, but there is still no timetable for his return and he isn't expected to play this weekend, according to a Bergen Record report.

Insight: Kovalchuk (10 G, 17 A in 32 games) hasn't played since March 23.

Insight: Kovalchuk is already nine days into a 2-4 week timetable so it looks like he'll miss more than the minimum.

3/24/2013 1:59:00 PM

Description: The initial prognosis is that Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk will miss 2-4 weeks with a right shoulder injury, according to the Bergen Record.

Insight: However, that prognosis was made without Kovalchuk having an MRI. He'll undergo an MRI Sunday to get a more definitive diagnosis. GM Lou Lamoriello was confident Kovalchuk would not require surgery.

Hot

3/13/2013 10:30:00 PM

Description: Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk extended his scoring streak to five games with a shorthanded goal Wednesday against the Flyers.

Insight: Kovalchuk has three goals and three assists during the streak and 10 goals and 24 points in 27 games.

Insight: Kovalchuk had three assists in his last four games prior to Saturday but hadn't scored a goal since Feb. 23. He has underwhelmed with nine goals and 13 assists in 25 games but fantasy owners have to like all the SOG (91).

Hot

2/15/2013 9:48:00 PM

Description: Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk notched three assists Friday to extend his point streak to five games.

Insight: Kovalchuk went five straight games without a point prior to this current streak. He's back at a point-per-game pace with 14 in as many games.

Insight: So much for that scoring drought. Kovalchuk had zero points in five games from Jan. 29 to Feb. 5 but he has five with 11 SOG over his last three.

2/7/2013 9:40:00 PM

Description: Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk snapped his pointless streak at five with a goal and an assist Thursday against Tampa Bay. He added five SOG and a plus-1.

Insight: Kovalchuk produced five points over his first four games but didn't register a single point over the last five despite racking up 13 SOG.

1/22/2013 10:24:00 PM

Description: New Jersey Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk had two points (1 G, 1 A) with two SOG, two PIM and a plus-2 differential Tuesday against the Flyers.

Insight: It was Kovalchuk's first goal of the season. He had 37 of them in 77 games last year. THe winger is already at plus-3 after registering a minus-9 in 2011-12.

1/8/2013 5:30:00 PM

Description: New Jersey Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk said that he is waiting for the official announcement of the new CBA; he's playing in the KHL now to "stay in shape." SOURCE: Dmitry Chesnokov, Yahoo! Sports

Insight: According to the Bergen Record, there were rumors that Kovalchuk might remain in Russia to play in the Kontinental Hockey League even after the NHL lockout officially ends. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said that a player's NHL contract could be voided if the player continues to play in the KHL while under contract in the NHL.

9/17/2012 2:15:00 PM

Description: New Jersey Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk will sign a deal with SKA Petersburg of Russia's KHL on Tuesday, according to a report in the Bergen Record.

Insight: Kovalchuck had 83 points (37 goals and 46 assists) in 77 games this season, though he also posted a disappointing -9 rating. The deal reportedly will allow him to return to the NHL when the lockout is over.

5/1/2012 3:59:00 PM

Description: Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk will miss Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals Tuesday against Philadelphia with a lower body injury. According to Lou Lamoriello,
"Kovalchuk has been bothered since the middle of the Florida series."

Insight: Kovalchuck had 37 goals and 46 assists in 77 games this season, though he did post a disappointing -9 rating. He has scored three goals and three assist in eight playoff games this year.

Hot

3/19/2012 10:06:00 AM

Description: Ilya Kovalchuk has recorded five goals and seven assists in 10 games this month.

Insight: Kovalchuck has 30 goals and 42 assists in 67 games this season, a huge improvement on last year's totals. He's even posted a +5 rating since the beginning of the season and might finish on the positive side for just the second time in his 10-year career.